Key Metrics are the most important actions that you want your users to perform on your website. This can include signing up for a newsletter, signing up for a trial, performing a table reservation, or filling out a self-service form. There is no limit on the number of metrics you can measure, so do not worry if you feel you are missing some key metrics. You can always add them later on. Discuss with your web team all of the most important Key Metrics and place them on the left side of the matrix.

Metrics/ KPIs

Lead Generation

Sales

Self-help

Newsletter signup

Requested an offer

Downloaded brochure

Read FAQ page

Organic sale

3. Pair Key Metrics and KPIs

Now that you have defined your overall KPIs and Key Metrics, it is time to pair them. This is easy to do in your matrix. Just add a check mark or an X for each KPI each Key Metric supports. It is alright to have multiple Key Metrics support the same KPI. Once you are done, you will easily be able to see each Key Metric supports one of your KPIs.

Metrics/ KPIs

Lead Generation

Sales

Self-help

Newsletter signup

X

Requested an offer

X

X

Downloaded brochure

X

Read FAQ page

X

Organic sale

X

4. Identify the triggers that will make it all tick

Now that you know what you want your users to achieve on your website, it is time to figure out how your users are actually achieving it by identifying triggers. Triggers can vary depending on how your website works. The important part is to figure out what triggers a successful completion for each metric.

What will trigger the action you want?Is it a visit to a specific page? A click on a button?

As an example, a sign-up to your newsletter might be triggered when a user visits the "Thank you" page or when the user clicks on the "Newsletter Sign-up" button.

You need to ensure that you define triggers for each of your Key Metrics. There may be more than one way to trigger the same metric. If a metric seems to get too complicated it might be a good idea to split it up into simpler, more specific metrics.